Toothbrush assembly for liquid dentifrices



Patented May 19, 1942 EMME@ STATES P NT QFEHCE TGOTHBRUSH ASSEMBLY FOR LIQUID DENTIFRICES David Aiken, Winnsboro, S. C., assigner of onethird to J. W. Douglass, Jr., Greenville, S. C.

2 Claims.

the invention relates to a tooth brush having av :removable cartridge or reservoir of cleansing material mounted in the handle, said handle having a passageway therein for facilitating the flow of the fluid material from the cartridge to the bristles.

When liquid is used as a dentifrice there is usually more diculty in applying the same upon the brush than is the case when a paste is used. Heretofore attempts have been made to solve the problem of-applying a liquid dentifrice to the bristles by providing a reservoir in the handle of the brush, together with a conduit leading from the reservoir to the bristles so as to conduct the liquid to the bristles when desired. This type of construction obviously requires the user to transfer the liquid from a container such as a bottle to the reservoir in the brush handle; thereby resulting in an inconvenience that few people thought worthwhile and also resulting in a Waste of material in many instances during the transfer.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a tooth brush or similar article which has a hollow handle for Iaccommodating a removable cartridge or reservoir of fluid materials in such a position that the fluid contents can be easily dispensed upon the bristles. By having an improved structure of this type, there is very little inconvenience when it is desired to replenish the fluid supply, because filled cartridges or reservoirs can be bought ready for insertion in the handle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a hollow handled brush with a removable cartridge or reservoir therein in combination with a iiuid pipe disposed in the handle which automatically perforates the cartridge when it is placed in inserted position. This fluid pipe also serves to conduct the fluid from the interior of the perforated cartridge to the bristles. Such a feature is very advantageous in that the user does not have to remove a closure member before the cartridge is placed in position for use, thereby providing a more sanitary device, as well as a device which can be easily placed in position for ready use.

It is a further object of the invention to provide la tooth brush having a handle provided with a reservoir for a liquid dentifrice, and having a tube extending therefrom with a brush turnably mounted on the tube to dispense the dentifrice outside of, but adjacent to, the bristles disposed nearest the handle. i

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects Will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of a tooth brush em'- bodying the present. invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view with certain porti-ons thereof broken away, and taken through the brush as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to the central portion of Figure 2, but showing the outlet port for the cleansing fluid in a closed position;

Figure 4 is an isometric View of an insertable cartridge vor fluid reservoir which is adapted to be inserted in the handleof the brush;

Figure 5 is an isometric View of the brush handle;

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the brush head;

Figure -7 is a longitudinal sectional View taken along the line 'I-l in Figure l, with the central portion thereof broken away, showing a, closure means for the reservoir.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the numeral I0 denotes a suitable brush head having a plurality of bristles II embedded therein and projecting from the lower side thereof. Integral with the brush head is a bell-shaped portion I2 having a longitudinally disposed bore I4 therein in which a resilient bushing I5 made of rubber or the like is inserted. This bushing has a bore I6 in the central portion thereof which coincides with the bore I4 in the bell-shaped portion I2. Within these bores, a Ysuitable tubular member such as pipe I8 is adapted to be rotatably and removably mounted.

The left-hand end of the bore vIfi communicates with a transverse outlet port I9 (Figures 2 and 3) which is disposed adjacent the bristles II in the brush. By observing Figures 2 and 3, it is seen that thevleft-hand end of the tube IS has approximately one-half of its circumference cut away as at I8a Vleaving a notch in one side thereof. When the'tube is in the position shownl in Figure 2, the notched portion 13a coincides with the port I9 thereby forming a passageway from the interior of the tube to the exterior of the brush head. In, the position shown in Figure 3, the tube has been turned substantially through an angle of degrees from the position shown in Figure 2 thereby causing the notched portion at Ia to be turned upwardly which will effect a closure of the port I9, and in this case there is no communication between the interior of the tube I8 and the outside of the brush. This tube is held in the position to which it has been turned by means of the gripping action of the bushing I5 which is `disposed in the bell shaped portion I2.

The right hand end of the tube I8 has secured therearound, a plug 25, said plug being adapted to close one end of a hollow tubular member 25, In order to hold the plug and the pipe I8 in the position relative to the tubular handle 26, a suitable screw 28 is employed. Handle 2G is preferably made of some transparent, non-breakable material such as cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, or some suitable resin. The tube I8 extends a substantial distance beyond the plug 25 and into the tubular handle portion 26 and the end of the tubular member I8 which is disposed within the handle portion 26 has its rim sharpened as at 29. The purpose of this sharpened portion will be later described.

It is therefore seen that the handle 26 can be turned axially in order to open or close the port I9. Also if it is desired to entirely remove the handle it is only necessary to withdraw the same from the openings I4 and I6.

An insertable cartridge or reservoir 39 is provided having a slightly smaller diameter than the interior bore within the handle 23 said car- Y tridge being preferably made of some transparent material such as glass or the like, so that the liquid level therein can be ascertained from the exterior. The reservoir has one end thereof closed whereas the other end has a stopper or plug 3| disposed therein. By observing Figures 4 and '7, it will be seen that the plug 3l has a flanged portion 32 covering the rim of the reservoir or cartridge 39 which rim prevents outside pressure from pushing the plug or stopper too far inwardly within the cartridge. It will also be noted that bore 33 is provided within the stopped substantially of the same size as the right hand end of tube I8. This bore is closed by a very thin diaphragm 34, said diaphragm being shown somewhat thicker than is actually the case in order to more clearly illustrate the structure. The diaphragm 34 normally prevents the escape of a suitable dentifrice or other cleansing fluid 35 from the interior of the reservoir 39.

When it is desired to use a dentifrice in conjunction with a tooth brush of the above described type, it is only necessary to purchase a tube or cartridge and insert the same within the handle. Due to the fact that the exterior of the cartridge is slightly smaller than the interior of the hollow handle 26, the sharpened end 29 of tube I8 will penetrate bore 33 in the plug 3|, and upon further insertion the sharpened end 29 will puncture the diaphragm 34 thereby establishing a communication between the interior of the cartridge and the port I9.

A suitable resilient cap 36 of rubber or the like is removably placed on the closed end of the cartridge 3B which cap serves to seal the joint between the cartridge and the open end of the handle and also serves as a means which can be grasped to remove or turn the cartridge 30 within the hollow handle.

When it is desired to dispense the liquid contents from the cartridge, it is only necessary to turn the handle 26 axially until a communication is established between the interior of the pipe I8 and the port I9. 'Ihen the toothbrush is turned in a substantially vertical position, with the bristles II disposed downwardly, and at this time, a light tap on the top of cap member 36 or a slight jar will cause a few drops of the fluid to be dispensed upon the bristles II. After this is done the handle 26 can be turned again to the closed position shown in Figure 3 while the contents which have been dispensed upon the bristles are being used as a cleansing agent.

It is therefore seen that I have provided a brush of the fountain type which is especially adapted for use as a tooth brush, shoe polish brush, mop and the like, which is very convenient insofar as replenishing and handling the cleansing fluid material is concerned, because in the present structure, the user never comes in contact with the liquid until it has been dispensed upon the brush. When this structure is embodied in a tooth brush, there is a high degree of sanitation which is very desirable and which cannot be obtained in devices heretofore used for this purpose.

In the drawing and specincation there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a tooth brush assembly for liquid dentifrices, a hollow handle having a plug in one end and being open at its other end, a tub-e mounted in said plug and having one end extending backwardly into the handle and having its other end extending forwardly from the handle, the forward end of the tube being cut away at one side, a brush head having a base and a shank portion, bristles mounted in the base portion, a longitudinal bore in the shank portion of the head extending from the shank end to a point adjacent the bristles, a transverse bore in an intermediate portion of the head communicating with the longitudinal bore, to register with the cut-away portion on the end of the tube when the brush head is rotated to dispensing position, a resilient rubber tubular bushing mounted in the longitudinal bore for frictionally engaging said tube and holding the brush head in adjusted position relative to the tube and handle, and a dentifrice container insertable into said hollow handle and having a perforable stopper therein adapted to be perforated by said tube as the container is inserted in the handle.

2. In a tooth brush assembly for liquid dentifrices, a hollow handle having a plug in one end, a tube mounted in said plug and having one end extending backwardly into the handle and having its other end extending forwardly from the handle, the forward end of the tube being cut away on one side, a brush head having a base and a shank portion, bristles mounted in the base portion, a longitudinal bore in the shank portion of the head extending from the shank end to a point adjacent the bristles, a transverse bore in an intermediate portion of the head communicating with the longitudinal bore at a point where the end of the tube is cut away, on one side, a resilient rubber sleeve mounted in the longitudinal bore for frictionally engaging said tube and holding the brush head in adjusted position relative to the tube and handle.

DAVID AIKEN. 

